Poisoned Soup for the Macabre, Depraved, and Insane: Nostalgic Terrors

by Grace R Reynolds, Wendy Dalrymple (Editor), Alison Flannery (Cover Art)

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Anthologies

224 pages, Paperback

Published December 21, 2025

Reviews

[Rhea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let’s be honest, with a title like ‘Poisoned Soup for the Macabre, Depraved, and Insane’, I went in expecting the absolute worst, the kind of messed-up, look-over-your-shoulder horror that keeps you awake and questioning every shadow when that late night thirst hits you and you have to go to the kitchen through the dark. Unfortunately, if you’re a seasoned reader of dark fiction, this collection might feel less like a lethal dose of poison and more like mildly flavored broth.

This book isn't a straight-up horror anthology. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, serving up creepy stories alongside unexpected essays and poetry. While I appreciate the variety, the main reason I grabbed this was for the macabre tales, and that’s where it generally fell short. It felt pretty tame for me, especially considering the dramatic promise of the title. If you’re looking for true goosebump moments, you might walk away feeling a little desensitized.

Funnily enough, some of the most interesting parts weren’t the fiction at all. Some of the essays were surprisingly engaging. I found the discussion about the literary trope of brunette villains versus innocent blonde victims particularly fascinating; it’s something I’ve noticed and gotten tired of for a long time, so seeing it explained was a highlight.

Out of the massive number of short pieces crammed into this book, I only found a handful that truly scratched that 'horror itch': ‘Miss pumpkinhead’ (favorite), ‘Automated’, and ‘If You Need Peace, Look No Further Than Beneath Your Floorboards’. The fact that so few stories stood out in a collection oozing with content really says it all.

That being said, if you’re a fan of literary essays and some mildly creepy stories, you might find something here. But if you were hoping for the depraved and insane horror promised by the title, prepare to be underwhelmed.

Many, many thanks to Wendy Dalrymple and Grace R. Reynolds, Brigids Gate Press and NetGalley for the ARC. This is a voluntary review, reflecting solely my opinion.

[Ga.selle (Semi-hiatus) Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

'Despair and hope, arms linked on the way to prom. Isn’t that the essential state of mankind? Always trying to hold on to the best, even during the worst. Horror is human.'





☠️ This one is a little tricky to rate because it mixes essays, poems, and some extremely short stories. I usually rate short stories or collections piece by piece rather than as a whole, and taken collectively, this anthology is just fine. I did enjoy each author’s essay and what drew them to the horror genre. I also love the title since it gives “Chicken Soup for the Soul,” but make it horror. Still, based on that title, I was expecting a bit more overall.

3.25✨

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐

Poisoned Soup for the Macabre Depraved and Insane feels like a love letter to everyone who found horror young and never let it go… like ME!

As a 90s kid raised on R L Stine, Are You Afraid of the Dark, and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, this anthology hit a deep nostalgic nerve while still offering something thoughtful and fresh. What really works here is the variety. The collection moves effortlessly between short stories, essays, and poems, all arranged in sections that expand on how horror connects us and shapes who we are. Different voices and different styles, yet all clearly cut from the same cloth.

One line perfectly captures the genre’s pull: “Horror taps into that which we cannot name, but which threatens us all the same.” Another reflection explores how children often gravitate toward manageable doses of fear because horror can be calming and even therapeutic, which resonated strongly with my own experience. I also loved the way the book embraces contradiction, reminding us that horror and hope exist side by side, and that fear is often inseparable from wonder.

Beyond the themes, this anthology succeeds at what the best collections do. It introduced me to new authors Im now excited to seek out, while still feeling cohesive and intentional. It understands horror not just as entertainment, but as an emotional language we learn early and carry with us.

Thoughtful, unsettling, and unexpectedly comforting, this is an anthology that truly gets why we love horror. An easy five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and editors for this ARC. All opinions are my own and left voluntarily.

[Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved my eARC of Poisoned Soup for the Macabre, Depraved, and Insane! Thank you @netgalley and @poisonedsoupantho for the opportunity to read this before pub day!

Poisoned Soup does an exceptional job of delivering high impact horror in delightfully bite sized (or sip sized? 🍲) servings! I am 100% drinking the soup, as it were.

If you're looking for a last minute gift for the horror readers in your life, good news - Poisoned Soup hits shelves TOMORROW, December 16th! Get your soup before they run out! 🥄🥄🥄

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This had a bunch of anthology books for horror lovers, short stories, poetries, essays, I am loving this because I am a horror story reader myself so this was good because it wasn't long and it had a bunch of different quick reads that keeps the horror lover satisfied, from shows like goosebumps and are you afraid of the dark. I really liked the story how to have a funeral for yourself and in the deep end, I also really liked The hwyl of horror.
This is great if you dont want to read long horror stories but short ones. I really liked poisoned soup book. This is 100 percent my own opinion thank you netgalley for the arc.

[Kyla Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been absolutely salivating waiting for this collection, and I was not disappointed. I devoured it almost immediately, gorging myself on the offerings within, and…

Okay, I’m getting on my own nerves with the bad food puns.

Seriously though, I was truly blown away by this anthology. The goal (if you can’t tell by the title) was to create a Chicken Soup style collection for horror lovers, centering on nostalgia. Heavy hitters from indie horror bring you poetry, drabbles, and short stories that span a large range of horror sub-genres. There’s a bit of everything (gothic, cosmic, weird, monster), so I have zero doubts you’ll find a new delicious (sorry) favorite within the pages.

The essays, however, are what make this collection shine. Horror authors from all walks of life come together to answer the questions: Why are you here? Why horror? And truly… I don’t think I’ve ever felt so seen. There is, of course, a heavy dose of nostalgia that made my Millennial heart ache (odes to Are You Afraid of the Dark? and Courage the Cowardly Dog? Hello, yes, sign me up). But deeper than that is an incredible sense of belonging. Horror fanaticism can feel so… othering, at times. Incredibly lonely, when people don’t understand, or often condemn, your love for it. But reading over 50 pieces from others like you, resonating with their origin stories… it truly is like offering comfort to your inner child. That kid reading Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark under the covers by flashlight was not alone.

And neither are you.

So, go grab some soup from your local indie bookstore (you can request it if they aren’t already carrying it!) and get to snacking.

[Madame Strange · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Poisoned Soup For The Macabre, Depraved And Insane” - “My kind of Soup!”

★★★★☆

These short stories, essays and poems transported me back to my childhood and made me feel nostalgic.

As a kid growing up with “Goosebumps” on my bookshelves and TV, always looking for the next creepy thing I quickly became the weird and spooky kid in school and within my family. By now I have fully embraced that I will always be strange and unusual, forever chasing scary tales.

This book felt like being embraced and seen by people who have the same love and passion for horror and individually posses the incredible ability to create unique stories for all of us horror aficionados out there.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This anthology is a nice mixed bag of creepy short stories, essays, and poetry. Filled with cozy, nostalgic horror these quick reads are perfect for a snack between meals or devour all at once as a creepy feast for the dark soul.
The essays where my favorites. Authors from different backgrounds share how horror touches us, shapes us, brings us together, empowers and frees us.
From sweet and touching to creepy there is a little something for every horror fan within these pages.

Thank you Brigids Gate Press and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own and shared freely.

[Mrn Saldana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poisoned Soup for the Macabre, Depraved, and Insane
It is a collection of short stories and essays from and for horror lover.
I must say they are quite tame and more of a nostalgic feeling rather than just an assortment of horror stories.
But if you would like to know more about authors and how their love for the genre was born, this might be for you.
I can say that I enjoyed reading them and found a few authors I might look into their work in the future.
I got this book through Netgalley in exchange for my review.

[ScarlettAnomalyReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed what I am going to call a mixed media book, it reminds me of like scrapbooking or junkie journals and it spoke to my soul.

Okay Okay maybe that’s a little dramatic but the way this was laid out just felt right and I loved it.

It’s a antho so I will try to keep it short and as spoiler free as possible, because you need to experience this all the way.

I liked how this went, I am one of those weird kids that used to read those Chicken Soup books, so that title had me thinking in that direction already so this felt right to me, it wasn’t too horror heavy, it was more a Goosebumps vibe to it if that makes sense.

I still loved it and I’m like 35 I think and read some stuff that makes me throw up, but there’s a time for all types of horror and this hit well.

I really did not expect to like the more serious parts like the Q & A with the authors, not that its not cool but I read those all the time, but the questions they asked here and the answers, had me wanting to know more, good job on crafting that in, because its not easy to keep attention switching subjects like that .

This was like any good soup, good ingredients sourced from amazing places brought together to sing in one big pot of soup.

Loved it.

[Josie Reiman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this love letter to horror!

The authors within this collection have a wide range of identities and backgrounds. Seeing how such diversity can be united by the love of a common topic is always special. This was also an excellent way to sample the works for some new to me authors!

That being said, the collection overall wasn’t very high up on the horror scale. The different essays and short stories had different levels of spooky content, but nothing veered too far into horrific territory. I enjoyed the nostalgic element a lot of the essays had too, with going into how the authors really got into horror.

“Poisoned Soup” is a very apt name for this modge lodge collection that is a bit unsettling and a bit comforting.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Brigid’s Gate Press for the ARC!

[Asyanil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poisoned Soup is a mixed anthology of short stories and essays centered around horror, memory, and emotional unease. I went in expecting mostly fiction , so the presence of several essay-style and more experimental pieces caught me a bit off guard and personally didn’t always work for me.But this is just because it was not what ı was looking for and if you are looking for someting like a horror soup includes a little bit of everything than it is just on point for you.
That said, the collection clearly has a strong vision and a wide range of voices, and I can see it really working for readers who enjoy literary, reflective, and genre-blending horror. If you like anthologies that lean into mood, atmosphere, and unconventional formats, this one will definitely be up your alley.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not just short stories, but also poetry and essays. I enjoyed the essays more than I thought I would. I liked hearing how the authors discovered their love of horror.

The book is sectioned off into Folktales, Foundational Horror, Coming-Of-Age, Literary Nightmares, Film and Television, The Art of Horror and Enter the Void. Lots of good stories and essays found in each section.

My favorites:

Where Did You Come From, Where Did You Go by Brian McAuley. Which features a frightening school dance and my most hated song. Cotton-Eye-Joe.

The essay Why Fear the Darkness When You Could Embrace it by Avra Margaritti.

Automated by LP Hernandez. Alien abduction, cotton candy cocoons, existential dread.

[Autumn Ketchum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Brigids Gate Press for the opportunity to read this super fun anthology! It was a blast to read an assortment of short stories, essays, and poems by people who look back fondly on spooky media as children that are part of who they are today or how it impacted them. Loved that. Written by people like me, for people like me lol.

[Lis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I absolutely had to pick this up with a title like Poison Soup for the Macabre, Depraved and Insane.

This book is set up so that there is a essay / short story combo from each author and most were like three to five pages long. So I'd get hooked into the story and immediately wanted more and then move on to a totally different topic. So it took me a while to get through it. Well I did enjoy a lot of the stories I don't think anthologies like this are meant for me. I will admit the formatting didn't really work for me I'm giving this a three stars because I feel like this will work for a lot of people I am just not one of them.

But I did really enjoy some of these stories; they are quite unsettling and great little bites of horror. I really enjoyed the personal essays that talked about how each individual author got into horror and what the genre means to them. I think that was a super unique and cool way to do this. I think this would work better as a coffee table book to pick up here and there and read through, but me sitting down and trying to read through in one sitting just didn't work for me. I really agree with another commenter who refers to it as a mixed media book. If you are a fan of short horror or the horror genre in general this is a perfect book for you.

Thank you NetGalley and Brigids Gate Press, LLC for an Arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Iris O · Rating 4 out of 5]

[This is a voluntary review. Thank you NetGalley and Brigid Gate Press for this opportunity to read this anthology for my honest opinion.]

My first time becoming fascinated with horror anthologies occurred in middle school when I read the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. The story about the toe was one of my favorite stories to retell on Halloween to my younger siblings.
When i read this anthology’s title , I was immediately drawn to it. I am an avid horror reader and I love short horror stories that pack a punch. This anthology had a few stories that I would say fit the criteria. My favorite being “If you need peace, look no further than beneath your floorboard.” The author told this story so well and it left me wanting more. Great way to end the anthology.

I agree with a previous reviewer stating for the title, these stories could’ve been more fitting to what we were expecting. But I still thoroughly enjoyed the stories told. This anthology explores the ways in which we all find ourselves here. Reading, writing, consuming horror.

Overall I did like this anthology. I rate it 4⭐️.

[Bibliophileverse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poisoned Soup for the Macabre, Depraved, and Insane by Wendy Dalrymple and Grace R. Reynolds is a short horror anthology that promises a disturbing and eclectic reading experience. True to its title, the book presents a mix of stories that feel like different ingredients blended into a single pot—each with its own flavor and intent. The writing style varies noticeably from one piece to another, which keeps the collection from feeling monotonous. However, despite its macabre premise, the anthology often falls short of delivering the terror and unease one expects from horror. Many stories hint at darkness but stop just before becoming truly unsettling. Additionally, the inclusion of essays by authors breaks the immersive flow of the book. While these pieces may offer insight into the writers’ minds, they read more like autobiographical reflections than contributions to a horror collection. As a result, the pacing suffers, and the overall impact weakens. I went into this book with high expectations, but unfortunately, it did not fully live up to its chilling promise.

Read more at https://bibliophileverse.blogspot.com...

[Katrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection is a pick-and-mix of poetry, stories, and essays viewed through a nostalgic lens. I found a number of the essays, particularly those in which the authors discuss how their love of horror came to be very relatable, and they certainly made for an interesting read. That said, a few of the essays did feel a little too short at times.

In my mind, however, the crowning jewels of the anthology were the short stories Miss Pumpkinhead, Last Show of the Night, and If You Need Peace, Look No Further Than Beneath Your Floorboards. All three stories are worth the entrance fee alone. I’d also like to give an honourable mention to The Chain Gang Chiller, which had such a memorable conclusion that it lingered for a good while afterward.

Overall, this is a very solid collection and certainly worth checking out.

With thanks to the publisher for the ARC.

[Katie Brunecz · Rating 5 out of 5]

It might be weird to call an anthology all about horror 'heartwarming,' but this book was very much like a warm hug for all of us weirdos. The essays will likely resonate with anyone who grew up loving the genre; you'll see plenty of references to perennial favorites like Goosebumps and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, as well as some classic monster flicks and beloved slasher films. It very much builds a sense of community and kindred spirits! The short stories in between are fantastic as well, ranging from eerie, sad, and atmospheric to delightfully campy. All I can say is, I would have loved to see more!

*Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

[Giniro · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mixed cauldron of stories and poetry, this is a fun read. I love anthologies or collections, but like a mixed bag there are hits and misses. I think it's fun if you are trying out a new genre to read and get a feel for if you like it. You'll never see me with a serious mystery series, but A good mystery and fantasy story is great fun!

My favorite was 'Automated' in this collection. And the cover art is perfect, great job Alisson Flannery. Today, I feel it's an amazing thing to have a collection of stories written by humans and to have a cover draw by a human.

[William Sterling · Rating 5 out of 5]

What the Poisoned Soup crew has brewed up is, for me, remarkable. From the authors' introductions, which feel nostalgic and familiar, to the stories themselves, every line of this anthology is a warm blanket to wrap around your favorite chilled corpse.

From cover to cover, the anthology feels like a chance to reconvene with long lost friends for one last set of ghost stories, told around a bonfire of fading memories. It aims for wholesome and haunting, and felt like the perfect stew for horror lovers to dig into this holiday season.

[Salty Witch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to netgalley for the arc for an honest review.
I was honestly expecting this to be more of a horror version of chicken soup for the soul. The way this is set up with differing short stories,essays and stories kind of threw me for a loop. While I did enjoy the majority of the content it kind of felt like it was a bunch of things just thrown together to make a book. I do enjoy horror stories and there were several that met my expectations and a few new concepts I hadn't ever heard.

[Bookish In Boston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poisoned Soup for the Macabre, Depraved, and Insane is a top notch horror anthology that stretches from fiction to nonfiction, covering various horror genres and categories along the way! I’m not a huge fan of nonfiction but I still enjoyed their author’s essays about what brought them to the horror genre and their spooky lived experiences! I would definitely recommend this anthology to anyone who loves horror movies, books or any other medium!

My favorite chapters::
•In The Deep
•Red Riders
•The Family Business
•The Chain Gang Chiller

[Catherine McCarthy]

As a contributor to this anthology I would like to congratulate both the editors and my fellow authors and say I enjoyed every single piece in here. Well done, all!

[Alisa Saiko · Rating 1 out of 5]

Poisoned Soup for the Macabre, Depraved and Insane ultimately fell flat for me. While the concept promises unsettling and evocative horror, the short stories themselves were largely underwhelming and failed to leave a lasting impact. Many felt underdeveloped, more like sketches than fully realised pieces and rarely delivered the macabre punch the title suggests.

Interestingly, the strongest parts of the book weren't the fiction at all. Each story is preceded by an essay in which the author reflects on their personal journey into horror and the influences that shaped their taste. These essays were engaging, sincere and far more compelling than the stories they introduced. I found myself more invested in the author's reflections on nostalgia and horror than in the narratives that followed.

In fact, I would have happily read an entire standalone collection of those essays and given a much higher rating. As it stands however, the imbalance between thoughtful commentary and lacklustre storytelling made this collection a disappointment, despite glimpses of a more interesting book hidden between the lines.

Thank you to Net Gallery and Brigids Gate Press for the ARC in exchange for my review.